- Open-source CAD discussion: Marcin asked for 3-D CAD recommendations; BRL-CAD (brlcad.org) was strongly endorsed, with links to tutorials (#brlcad IRC, gpwiki.org/BRL-CAD:Tutorials) and a build guide (heybryan.org/brlcad.html); avoCADo was briefly tested but found immature.

- UAV package-delivery brainstorm: genehacker and fenn explored a sub-$2 000 fixed-wing micro-UAV that can transition to hover, drop a 1-lb package, and return; a $1 495 IMU was cited, but cheaper Wii-mote / iPhone accelerometers and Arduino-based control were considered for cost reduction; break-even estimated at 40–80 deliveries at $20–40 each.

- Sensor sourcing: Wii-mote and iPhone tilt sensors were highlighted as inexpensive off-the-shelf IMUs; a 30 g commercial unit with tri-axial gyros, accelerometers, and magnetometers was referenced (IEEE paper on MAV cave-hovering).

- HUD optics experiment: fenn proposed a compact head-up display using surplus DLP/DMD mirror arrays ($5–$10 on Goldmine Electronics) plus fiber-optic or periscopic light routing to avoid bulky goggles; genehacker noted potential for maskless lithography and high-resolution 3-D printing if the chips can be driven.

- Miscellaneous links: LDraw metadata for LEGO parts and build-instruction generation; Python PEP 362 (function signature objects); ELF file-format dissection tutorial; Harbor Freight borescope as a fiber-optic relay example.